Understanding Your NBT Results: What They Mean
Received Your NBT Results but Unsure What They Mean? We’re Here to Help!
If you’ve written the National Benchmark Test (NBT) and received your results, you might be wondering how to interpret them. Here’s everything you need to know.
What is the NBT?
The NBT is a national assessment developed by the National Benchmark Test Project to evaluate a student’s readiness for university. It measures:
Academic Literacy
Quantitative Literacy
Mathematical Skills
What Are the NBT Components?
There are two separate tests, both written on the same day:
MAT (Mathematics) – Core mathematics skills
AQL (Academic and Quantitative Literacy) – Language and numeracy in a university context
Each test is multiple-choice and lasts three hours. You can write in English or Afrikaans, depending on your selection during registration.
How to Access Your NBT Results
Your results will be available on the NBT website about four weeks after your test date.
To access them:
Log in at the NBT website
Username: Your ID number
Password: The one you created when registering
Alternatively, you can request your results by emailing nbt@uct.ac.za.
Understanding Your NBT Score
Your results will fall into one of three performance levels, or benchmark categories:
| Category | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Proficient | You are fully prepared for university study and do not require academic support. |
| Intermediate | You may face some challenges in university and could benefit from academic support. |
| Basic | You are not adequately prepared for university-level studies at this time. |
These categories help universities understand the level of support a student might need upon entry.
Click here to view score ranges for each benchmark category.